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C

chuck1289

I'm Old Greggggggg
Today i picked up some different bedding to the stuff i used to use ( I used to use small pieces of bark) So i picked up some wood chips they are square and look pretty good. Is there any difference between the two and did i make a wrong choice?
 
What kind of wood are they made of? It is important as some tree species contain volatile oils that are not good for animals to breathe. I use aspen, as do many other breeders.
 
I wouldn't assume anything! If it is a shop that only sells reptiles (not fish, puppies, etc), then it is more likely they know what they are doing, compared to a regular pet shop. But it is not guaranteed.

Stick your nose down into the bag and smell them. If they have a strong smell like pine or cedar, I would use on rodents or take it back. If it has no smell, or just an earthy smell (like potting soil), then it is PROBABLY ok. But you might have to ask the shop or go online if the bag has a website on it, so you can tell for sure.
 
It has nothing in it.He scooped it out of a bigger bag which did have something on the packet.I got this from a ACTUAL reptile shop called bites and strikes.Im pretty sure the guy wouldn't sell me anything lethal to my snake besides he was the one who sold her to me!!!!
 
Well while Kathy has a point about an actual reptile shop should know what to sell you, I know first hand that there's plenty of stuff thats marketed for reptiles but then isn't ok for corns.
If it were me and I had some unknown substrate in my tank I would just give the store a ring and say "Hey just out of curiosity, what *was* that stuff?"
 
It does have a earthy smell to it and the chips are not too small they are about the size of a finger nail.They vary in colours from dark brown to a very light brown . You have got me all worried now !!!!!!
 
No reason to panic, I just know that I wouldn't want any unknown substance in my house period, be it something that involved me, or my pets :shrugs:
 
Probably beech chips, about the most common substrate in reptile shops here. I found that liquid waste tends to seep through and go mouldy, and the snakes couldn't really burrow properly.
 
Thats the one !!! beech chips i remember him saying now!!! Yes i've heard they seep through the bedding but i'll get her some of the better bedding so she can burrow.
 
Although MOST of the products made for reptiles are ok, they are not always what I would choose. For example, the sand type substrates that are probably good for some lizards and maybe sand boas, are also marketed for corns and other snakes that I would not recommend it for. And the bark chips sold for substrate are probably ok - more or less. I haven't heard any horror stories from people using the bark, but the bark of trees is where any available toxin (to repel or kill insects) is concentrated. It may be fine in the short term, but I would be concerned with long term use, even though I don't know of any actual studies or problems to back up that concern. Better safe than sorry! Especially when there are so many alternative products around.

So that is why you shouldn't just assume that everything offered for sale is fine for all reptile use, even though most of the time, you don't have much to worry about.
 
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